Page 30 of Flesh and Fury
Everyone turned to stare at Edward who was looking determined. “Why?” Juan asked. The lovers exchanged a long glance with each other before Edward turned back to his grandfather.
“I want to go. It would mean everything to represent this pack, Grandfather. I am to be your successor—the new Alpha—right?”
Alvin frowned deeply. “Do you want to challenge me?”
Edward was quick to shake his head. “No, Grandfather. I want to represent you in this fight. That’s all.” He pointed to the new scar on his belly. “I have a reason to want to prevail in this fight and before you ask, no, I don’t think you couldn’t also assist the I.S.R. in this.” He dragged his gaze away from Alvin and looked back at Juan. Love shone in his eyes. “It’s because fighting beside my mate in a shared cause to save allour people will prove that a gay couple—” He turned back to his grandfather. “Aren’t going to be fucked with.”
Everyone stared at Alvin who looked pensive. He pursed his lips for a few seconds and then finally nodded. “I agree.”
Edward’s face broke into a wide grin as he nodded, getting up from the table to hug his grandfather who also stood. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
“You’re very wise, my grandson,” Alvin said as Edward gave him a final squeeze.
As everyone stood, Edward returned to Juan, taking the hand he offered.
“Well done, Alpha,” Juan said to Alvin.
The two Alphas exchanged a final glance before turning back to Eoghan and Ari. “You have my word on it,” Juan said. “We’ll be wherever you need us when the time comes to fight these vampires.” He held out his hand and shook Eoghan’s.
“That goes for me too. You’ll have every werewolf you want from my reservation,” Alvin said. He shook Eoghan’s hand and wiggled his nose, flaring his nostrils for a long second before his eyes lit with a bright yellow glow. “You know, you have nothing to fear from me.” He waved at all the other weres in the area. “Or them. Werewolves would never hurt you that way again. You don’t know it, but you’re protected, Marshal Sapphire.”
Eoghan felt his stomach do a slow roll. He frowned, wondering how in the hell the older Alpha had picked up on his terror of facing werewolves. “How do you…I mean how did you—”
“How did I know you’ve been attacked by a werewolf and nearly killed?”
“Yeah, how did you know that?”
“You have a piece of werewolf in you. Where is the claw mark? I assume he left deep grooves?”
“Yes, how did you know that?” Eoghan asked again.
“Because I can smell the tiny piece of bone he left behind. Of course, it could also be a claw. We shed them, to be replaced by sharper ones all the time. If it hasn’t worked its way to the surface of your skin by now, that’s good. Any werewolf coming into contact with you will know it for what it is, and they won’t lay a hand on you, not until they understand what’s going on with you.”
“Going on with me?”
“Whether you’re the mate of another werewolf,” Juan said, elaborating. “It’s an animal thing. We have to know and understand what we’re attacking. We are civilized.”
“But you just said it was an animal thing,” Ari protested.
Juan flashed him a brilliant smile with not so little fang. “What’s uncivilized about that?”
Eoghan felt his face heat and he ducked his head before turning and looking up at Ari under his lashes. Ari beamed back at him. He swallowed and glance back at Alvin. “I never knew he left any of himself behind. In fact, it’s pretty creepy knowing that I carry a piece of werewolf bone inside me.”
“It’s a good thing,” Juan said. “Really. It will protect you and I suspect it might help to explain why we remained focused on each other during the fight and completely uninterested in you and the other marshals in your immediate vicinity.”
Eoghan hadn’t thought about that, and it surprised him a little. “That’s very good to know. Thank you for telling me.”
“With your permission, Alphas, we’ve got to check in with our chief, grab some food somewhere, and get a good night’s sleep,” Ari said. “We’ll be on the road first thing in the morning.” He exchanged a glance with Eoghan, who realized they needed to warn the Alphas about keeping silent. He nodded in answer to Ari’s unasked question. Ari smiled at himbefore turning to them. “There’s one other thing. Someone at the Agency doesn’t want King John Townsend returned to his throne at the head of the Flagstaff clan in Arizona. We know this spy has somehow infiltrated the I.S.R. offices and planted a bug under Priest’s desk as well as in her house. When we talk about Townsend or in fact, any of these recruiting trips, we have to do it on burner phones.”
“What?” Juan said. “You have a mole at the Agency?”
“At our headquarters and also at the office. We suspect someone in power has recruited the spy in L.A. and that’s exactly why we’re asking that you two Alphas please keep this arrangement to yourselves. The dragons, Severin and Invictus, know what’s happening. Also, the tribal police chief of the Tahoe shifter reservation is going to help. They’re all trustworthy but please don’t tell your pack about it until it’s time to move on Bradshaw or it may somehow get back to the Agency.”
“I’ll pledge my promise,” Alvin said.
“Yes, I’ll keep the secret too,” Juan echoed. “What a fucking mess.”
“We agree,” Eoghan said, feeling slightly queasy as he thought about it. “And if you don’t hear from us again, forget everything we said about the mole and protect your packs at all costs.”